Say it if it's Worth Saving Me
by BlackRoseDragonCK
Summary: One-shot set during the Waking the Dragons arc. After Chris and Ironheart are taken by Dartz, Yami and Tea spend the night at the campsite. Yami is still depressed...but can Tea save him? Disclaimers inside.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh by Kazuki Takahashi or Savin' Me written and sung by Nickelback.**

**Author's Note: This is another Waking the Dragons saga fic. It takes place after Chris, Skye, and Ironheart were taken by Dartz. In this story, Yami and Tea are staying overnight at Ironheart's campsite before proceeding on their quest and Yami's still unsure of himself.**

It was past midnight at the campsite down by the river and Yami could not sleep. Who could blame him? In the past two days he had suffered his first genuine loss in a duel, lost his best friend, tainted his own soul with darkness, survived a train wreck, found his close friend only to watch him fade away again, and watched the two friends he'd just made be struck down for his sake. Needless to say there was a lot on his mind and as the Pharaoh thought back on all these events, he cringed at the uncontrollable hatred burning inside him. He felt as if he were a prisoner…a prisoner to the dark depths of his own heart.

_Prison gates won't open up for me,_

_On these hands and knees I'm crawlin'_

_Oh, I reach for you._

_Well I'm terrified of these four walls_

_These iron bars can't hold my soul in_

_All I need is you._

Yami turned his head to look at Tea sleeping peacefully on the mat next to him. He allowed himself a small smile as he thought of how she had been so gentle and sympathetic…when all the others were repressing criticizing glares. That's Tea…always the one to understand why people do the things the do.

_Come please I'm callin'._

_All I scream for you._

_Hurry, I'm fallin' I'm fallin'_

Involuntarily, the Pharaoh gasped when he realized how he had been treating her the past few days. When the brunette attempted to talk to him, he would shut down and make some excuse to walk away…perhaps because he did not want to face his own mistakes…or maybe because he did not want to admit the fear that had gotten the better of him time and time again…the fear of failing.

Even worse than his ignoring Tea, Yami recalled his last duel with Weevil Underwood. Battling on top of a train, the bug duelist had poured gallons of salt into the Egyptian teen's already stinging wounds; taunting him about his mistakes and stripping bare the painful truth. Because of this, the Oricalchos-infused darkness in the Pharaoh's heart took over…and he lost it. He had attacked Weevil relentlessly, ordering his warrior to continue the agonizing onslaught even after the boy's life points hit zero.

Right as he was about to attack for the eighth unnecessary time, Tea had rushed to his side, clinging to him, begging him to stop. Then…Yami had actually…yelled at her…something he normally would have cut out his own tongue before doing. The Pharaoh winced as this memory played out in his mind. Tea had only been trying to stop him from falling to darkness again…and he'd actually made her cry. It seemed that on top of everything else…he'd lost his knowledge of right and wrong as well.

_Show me what it's like_

_To be the last one standing._

_Teach me wrong from right_

_I'll show you what I can be._

_Say it to me, say it to me_

_And I'll leave this life behind me._

_Say it if it's worth saving me._

Yami reached out and gently stroked the brunette's beautiful sleeping face with the crook of his finger, murmuring, "I'm sorry," before getting up and walking out of the tent. He went and stood by the river near the camp, gazing up at the stars as sorrow and shame stabbed at his heart. He didn't cry…he was too emotionally exhausted to add another tear to the hundreds he'd shed over the past few days.

Sighing, the Pharaoh sat down on the rocky bank, wondering absently to himself if he would always feel this darkness. After this was all over…was he even worthy of returning to the place he belonged? Would he be permitted to enter into the light….or would he be cast back into the black abyss…?

_Heaven's gates won't open up for me_

_With these broken wings I'm fallin'._

_All I see is you._

_These city walls ain't got no love for me_

_I'm on the ledge of the eighteenth story._

_All I scream for you._

_Come please I'm calling._

_And all I need from you._

_Hurry I'm falling._

"Pharaoh…?"

Said former ruler of Egypt turned to see…Tea. The girl's hair was slightly messy and her eyes were droopy from sleep, yet filled with deep concern.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you up?" Yami murmured.

"No," Tea sat down beside him. "Woke up on my own…weird dream…"

The two sat in silence for a while before the brunette finally muttered, "You know…you can't keep doing this."

"Doing what?" the Pharaoh inquired.

"This…this wallowing in the past and feeling sorry for yourself!"

The Egyptian teen winced at her harsh words and sharp tone, quite unlike her usual gentle nature.

'Yami…" Tea began, her voice softening. "This darkness the Oricalchos has afflicted you with…it's deep. I saw it in your duel with Weevil…and it scared me. That's why you've got to focus on fighting it instead of being upset that it's there. Chris and Ironheart said it themselves. You have to deal with your mistakes…and move on."

Yami sighed heavily and hung his head. "I know that, but…. I'm afraid. If I am to truly acknowledge my actions…it means I'll have to admit that I failed miserably…that I was wrong….that scares me."

The dancer put her hand on top of his and replied, "Don't you remember what I told Johnny Stepps? Everybody fails sometimes, but the important thing is to have the courage to look trouble straight in the eye. Don't give up, Pharaoh…we'll face this together."

Smiling, Yami turned his head to look at her…and couldn't help but gasp at what he saw. Tea was, in a word…beautiful. Her chocolate hair blew in the gentle breeze, lightly touching her delicate face…her cream-colored skin shown like smooth porcelain in the moonlight…her sapphire eyes glittered like crystal…

"Tea…" the Pharaoh murmured, leaning slightly closer. "Is it…really worth all this trouble? Saving me, I mean…?"

In answer, the brunette reciprocated his actions, moving closer herself.

Finally, Yami couldn't take it anymore. He cupped her cheek and pressed his lips against hers, kissing her slowly and fully. To his relief, the girl responded eagerly, and they separated only for need of oxygen.

"Say it…" the Pharaoh murmured, moving his mouth against Tea's provokingly.

"I…" the girl breathed, her heart fluttering as the young man's arms snaked around her waist. "I…love you…"

Yami responded by capturing her in a long, passionate kiss….and from his prison in Dartz's lair Yugi smiled, knowing that the darkness had finally lifted from the Pharaoh's heart.

_Show me what it's like_

_To be the last one standing_

_Teach me wrong from right_

_And I'll show you what I can be_

_Say it to me, say it to me_

_And I'll leave this life behind me._

_Say it if it's worth saving me._

**Hope you liked it, but please don't flame if you didn't. I wanted to do a fic where Tea has to kind of knock some sense into Yami and shake him out of his depression. Please review! **

**I do not own Yugioh or Savin' Me.  
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